June 29, 2008

In my life, I have constantly been trying to please someone else– my teachers, my employers, my family, my friends, the world in general—but now, I want to please me. If my attitude, or my figure or my mentality bothers you, I’m done apologizing. Get over it. I’ve found the “Strength, Courage and Wisdom” that has been inside of me, and I am finally accepting myself for who and what I am. I don’t ask you to do the same; I just ask that you respect my decision.

I think I am finally at a place in my life where I am comfortable in my skin, and at peace with myself. I think that my being at peace makes others uncomfortable, in that because they find fault with the way I look or the way I act and think, that I should as well.

If at some point in the future, I feel the need to diet myself down to my high school weight, I will; but it won’t be because of someone constantly poking my stomach or the “When was the last time you went to the gym?”, or the “Wow, If I ate that, it’d go right to my thighs”. It would be because I wanted to, and right now, at this very moment in my life; I don’t want to. I love the fact that my body has given birth to three children, and the fact that it looks it. I love the stretch marks, the mommy lap and the added cleavage that my extra pounds give me.

I am a fickle person. I own that. I change my mind constantly, and you know what?? It’s ok! I can do that. I don’t have to stay on one course forever. I can add spice and flair to my life, if I decide to. Just because I liked computers and gaming last year, doesn’t mean that I like it today. Just because I love shopping, and fashion and beautiful things today, doesn’t mean that I will next year. The ability to change your mind, your passions, and your desires is a truly amazing gift, which I put to good use.

I have dreams. Most are unrealized but I have them nonetheless. I want to write, to travel, to teach, to learn, to craft, to relax, to breathe. Some days, I want to do one more than another, but eventually I will get to them all. Just because your path lead you straight and directly to your dreams, doesn’t mean that mine will. Asking me what I want to do with my life doesn’t help. I don’t know yet, and I think that is ok too. I don’t know today, but I might tomorrow. I thought I knew a year ago, but it’s changed. I don’t mind.

My spirituality is my own. I don’t care what or if you believe, honestly. I am finding my own way. I don’t want your opinion, your guidance or your “prayers”. I will find what rings true for me, and when I do I won’t subject you to it. Spirituality is a personal thing.

“I close my eyes and I think of all the things that I want to see
‘Cause I know, now that I’ve opened up my heart I know that
Anything I want can be, so let it be, so let it be” (India Arie “Strength Courage Wisdom”)

June 25, 2008

I am facing this issue at work. Do we make a residential facility smoking or non smoking? Does one persons right to smoke supersede another’s right to clean air? This is a copy of my email to my director.

My thoughts on the smoking issue are as follows:

There is no constitutional right to smoke. Claims to the contrary have no legal
basis. The U.S. constitution guarantees certain fundamental rights and protects
certain classes of persons from all but the most compelling government regulation. However, no court has ever recognized smoking as a protected fundamental right nor has any court ever found smokers to be a protected class. To the contrary, every court that has considered the issue has declared that no fundamental right to smoke exists. When employees smoke at work, the smoke causes damage to the facilities, and the employer is faced with the increased possibility of fires and burns, extra cleaning and maintenance, and more air pollution. The health effects of tobacco smoke on nonsmokers are well documented; in 1986, the Surgeon General reported on the dangers of environmental tobacco smoke,concluding that nonsmokers who are exposed to cigarette smoke run an increased
risk of acquiring lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. In addition,
the Surgeon General concluded that although the separation of smokers and
nonsmokers within the same air space may reduce the exposure of nonsmokers to
environmental tobacco smoke, it does not eliminate it.

I took a look at a copy of the law (LB395)and it states that the new law is intended to “encourage smoke-free places of employment and public places to reduce the health and safety risks posed by smoking in such places. . . protect the public health and welfare and to recognize that the need to breathe smoke-free air has priority over the desire to smoke.”. I think that in order for us to be compliant in the full spirit of the law, we need to recognize the fact that while we are a residential facility and therefore technically fall under the private residence consideration, we are also a place of employment and that the employees/residents who don’t smoke shouldn’t be put at risk. I enjoy the way that Sen. Ernie Chambers stated it. “You do not have the right to have an addiction and impose your weakness upon other people,You don’t have the right to impose your stupidity on others.”.